One Thing

December 24, 2025

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

Hello MAC Family, I hope you had a good Christmas. Now we live in the mysterious week between Christmas and New Years where it is hard to remember what day it is or what we should be doing. It all seems like holiday time.

Looking ahead to 2026-I am reminded of a Scripture which helps me to focus. It is from Psalm 27, written by King David. He was fully human in all his ways. But in this psalm, he seems to be able to voice the one thing he needed, and I realize it is the one thing I need as well.

Psalm 27:4, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”

This is his one thing. “One thing have I desired. One thing have I asked about, enquired about, one thing have I been willing to borrow or beg to get. One thing have I longed to seek, to find, secure, to demand. That is to dwell in the presence of God, to see his face, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.”

This is my one thing, David says. There is a lot going on. He is saying-there are situations that are wrong, people who have wronged me, things wrong in the world, but I need to forget what is behind and press on. I need to let this go from now on. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after.

And maybe, for me and you too-if I seek after the face of the Lord more, if I desire to dwell in his house and think his thoughts and be filled with his Spirit, then all of the other things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace and 2026 will be the best year ever.

What one thing do you need to let go of more than any other? What is one thing, through God’s grace and God’s power, you need to forget about, not tend to it as you were doing, not rehearse and repeat the stories so much, what do you need to leave unattended? What unhealthy garden have you cultivated well and now needs to have some weeds grow up?

And what one thing do you want to seek after this year for your personal growth and health? It might be to seek God more, but it could also be something personal as well-to speak more kindly, to love someone more, to exercise more, to eat better. What is one thing you want to seek after more in 2026? This one thing I desire of the Lord. That will I seek after. Yes Father!

Here is a lovely quote of reassurance and inspiration to fill your cup today.

“Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watch care, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.” Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White pg.100